1838 Mormon War

The 1838 Mormon War was a conflict that occurred between the Mormon and non-Mormon settlers in Missouri from August to November 1838. In 1831, the Mormons under Joseph Smith began to settle in Jackson County to create a Christian commune of "Zion". The Mormons' economic cohesion allowed for them to dominate the local economy and also became a large voting bloc, threatening the interests of the original Missouri settlers. In October 1833, the non-Mormons drove the Mormons from Jackson County, and they would be forced to relocate four times. They finally reached a compromise with their neighbors, in which they would be confined to the newly created Caldwell County; they created the settlement of Far West as their capital.

In 1837, the Mormons officially relocated from Kirtland, Ohio to Missouri, and hundreds of Mormons from Kirtland and elsewhere poured into Missouri. The newer Mormon settlers began to establish colonies in Daviess and Carroll Counties, breaching the compromise between the Mormons and their neighbors.

On 6 August 1838, Mormons and non-Mormons entered into a brawl at a political campaign rally held by an anti-Mormon state legislature candidate, leading to some Missourians running home to retrieve guns and ammunition. The Mormons began clashing with the non-Mormons in a series of mob attacks, leading to Governor Lilburn Boggs ordering the Missouri militia to chase the Mormons out of the state to restore law and order. The Mormons plundered and burned the stores and houses of non-Mormons in the town of Gallatin, leaving only one store unscathed. On 27 October 1838, Governor Boggs issued an executive order to "exterminate" the Mormons. Three days later, 17 Mormons were massacred by the militia at Haun's Mill. On 1 November 1838, Joseph Smith surrendered, and nearly all of the 10,000 Mormons in the state were forced to resettle, with most of them moving to Nauvoo, Illinois. Smith later escaped from prison, and he rejoined his followers in Illinois.